Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 7

WWW.JG-TC.COM THURSDAY, MAY 3,2012 SECTION TRACK FIELD AREA LEADERS ANNOUNCED Wallace Spearmon, right, ran the 200 meters in 20.02 seconds Saturday at the Drake Relays. See how the area's top high school track field athletes are doing. B4 COME BACK TOMORROW Big 12 Conference girls' track and field preview. i LCI Spoo selected for OVC Hall of Fame 1 I i. 1 is m.A -t.

Trojans chase Apollo title BY BRIAN NIELSEN JG TC Sports Editor SALEM Reasons for caution most of this boys' track season were centered on Charleston being ready for today. If tests during workouts earlier this week are an indication, having some injured athletes return to action slowly this spring may have the Tro three in its Hall of Fame each year, but Spoo is getting that honor by himself this year "Coach Spoo has a reputation of fielding competitive teams while also maintaining a program of integrity, which brought respect not only to Eastern Illinois but also to the Ohio Valley Conference," Commissioner Beth DeBauche. "The fact that he was elected so shortly after his retirement speaks volumes of the type of person he is and to his coaching career." Kyle Schwartz, the OVC's assistant commissioner for media relations, said, "Coach Spoo is one of the most genuine people that I have ever That is when he is to be inducted into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame. "I'm humbled by it," Spoo said. "I really am.

It's a great honor. I would imagine that (former Eastern Kentucky coach) Roy Kidd is in it, isn't to be in that same circle, that's a guy I have, admired. He has over 300 wins in his career which pales what I have done but nevertheless it's a great honor. I'm very appreciative." With his 144 career victories in 25 years as EIU's coach including the fourth most Ohio Valley Conference game wins in league history after the Panthers joined the league in 1996, Spoo also is recognized as one who is Hall of Fame worthy. The OVC can induct up to -II I -J File photo Flanked by his team, former Eastern Illinois University head football coach Bob Spoo heads to the field to play Tennessee State University at O'Brien Field In Charleston In this file photo from Nov.

5, 2011. Spoo was selected for Induction into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame. ii 1 .1 myiiyj wmm 11 lywy 1" BY BRIAN NIELSEN JG-TC Sports Editor CHARLESTON Bob Spoo may have thought he was done with those trips to Nashville, Tenn. If forced to tell the truth, the former Eastern Illinois football coach would have admitted he really wasn't too crazy about going to Ohio Valley Conference media day in July when he could have been home and preparing for the upcoming preseason practices. Those OVC spring coaches meetings weren't his favorite days either for the man who liked coaching not attending meetings.

But a few months after his retirement, Spoo is not complaining about a scheduled June 1 appointment back to Nashville. order and drove in two runs, and Paige Olmsted pitched a complete game allowing only two earned runs to pick up the win "When it comes to Paige's (Olmsted) pitching, she was solid," said Charleston coach round scare on the way to the Region 24 championship. Now, Kaskaskia gets another shot at the Lakers, who swept an 11-1, 9-0 doubleheader on March 31 at Centralia but then had a tougher time in a regular season finale winning 5-0 and 4-2 on April 21 at Lake Land. first thing we have to worry about is Kaskaskia," Nelson said. "The last time, they played us here and played us well.

We've got to beat everybody five times, but they have to beat us once. The girls understand that. It's not a matter of beating someone six times. You just have to win one game at a time." Three more wins or four in case of a loss in the double-elimination tourney could land the Lakers their tag on Paris' Pia Twigg as she heads back to first base In Charleston jans ready to con tend for an Apollo Conference championship in today's meet set to start at 4 p.m. at Salem High School.

They won last week's Newton Invitational even with two key sprinters L.J. Welsh and Truston Winnett still out of the action. "Both are going to be back," Charleston coach Blain May-hall said. "We're full strength. L.J.

ran (Tuesday) and worked on handoffs and didn't feel any discomfort." The girls' title is also to be decided today with the Lady Trojans bringing some individuals with high hopes but probably not enough depth to compete for the team championship where Effingham is seeking a repeat title. Charleston's boys, on the other hand, appear to be in a position to contend for their first Apollo championship since 2003. The Trojans are coming off the past Friday's Newton Invitational championship where they outscored runner-up Newton, last year's Apollo champion, 114-107. Robinson was fourth in the invitational with 54 points. In at least one meet this year, Charleston has finished ahead of each Apollo team other than Paris whom the Trojans have not faced.

Salem, whose run of five straight Apollo boys' titles was snapped by Newton last year by a 123-121 margin, also figures to be in the title picture. "Salem is always tough," See APOLLO, B2 Lake Land BY BRIAN NIELSEN JG-TC Sports Editor MATTOON Ask about plans for Utah, and Michelle Glenn cringes as if her nearby coach Nic Nelson might overhear such blasphemy. In similar fashion, sophomores who experienced Lake Land's trip to last season's NJCAA Division I national softball tournament reprimand any rookies mentioning this year's May 17-19 nationals at St. George, Utah. "One of our freshmen said, 'Does your family have any hotel rooms sophomore Kimberlin Wallace said then raising her voice.

"We said, 'No, don't even talk about See, this 41-game winning streak, 49-5 season record and 32-0 Great Rivers Athletic Conference championship softball sweeps See SPOO, B2 Kevin KilhofferStaff Photographer 8-3 and 5-2 in the doubleheader. Paris legged out a double. Megan Temples and Cayla Hoffman each followed with run-scoring singles. The Lady Trojans responded in the second inning. Mari- See SOFTBALL, B3 be a success Goeckner said.

"We have to get there first." Contact Nielsen at or 238-6856. on Wednesday. Charleston beat Paris Karen Ka'rch. "She worked through a lot, and Paige Wilson came up big for us driving int'o runs." PamOumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a string of three consecutive two-out hits. Sammy Gher season to record to 11-10 overall and 7-5 in the Apollo conference with a sweep over Paris 8-3 and 5-2 Wednesday evening.

A pair of Paiges led Charleston in game one. Paige Wilson finished 2-for-3 in the nine slot of the batting still has more to do for Charleston's Maggie White puts BY KYLE DAUBS For the JG-TC CHARLESTON After a tough early start, these Charleston Lady Trojans have an Apollo conference softball win streak going. Charleston improved its softball team brings no guarantees as the Lakers enter a four-team double-elimination NJCAA Region 24 tournament starting with a 10 a.m. Friday game against fourth-seeded Kaskaskia at Kaskaskia's field in Centralia. Even Lake Land faculty members are not above being corrected.

"One of my teachers said, 'You're having a good and I just said, 'So sophomore Olivia Mintun said. "She said, 'So Glenn, who is in the same class, said, "She doesn't understand why it isn't good yet." At least the softball fresh-' men are starting to get it. "Nothing before this matters," Tiffany Goeckner said. The first 54 games, includ CHS the DIVISION I REGION 24 SCHEDULE At Kaskaskia College in Centralia Friday Game 1: Lake Land (49-5) vs. Kaskaskia (22-27), 10 a.m.

Game 2: Wabash Valley (37-5) vs. John A. Logan (29-17), noon Game 3: Losers of games 1 and 2, 2 p.m. Game 4: Winners of games 1 and 2, 4 p.m. Saturday Game 5: Winner of game 3 vs.

loser of game 4, 11 a.m. Game 6: Winner of game 4 vs. winner of game 5, 1 p.m. Game 7: if necessary COME BACK TOMORROW: Lake Land pitcher Tanna Hinthorne brings the best ERA in NJCAA Division I into this weekend's tournament. ing last week's best two-of-three series sweep over Southeastern Illinois were just to set the stage for this weekend at Kaskaskia.

Now, the Lakers could live up to their No. 1 Region 24 seed and earn a national tourney berth like last year, or they could fall short as was the case the previous two seasons. "The sophomores warned us about how coach is going to act," freshman Skyler Woods said of this pivotal weekend. So how is that? "I'm scared of every team I play, honestly," Nelson said. "No one knows more than me than that we beat Olney in the 10tn inning last year." At least that time, the Lakers got through the first- second straight nationals berth and third in the softball program's history, but don't mention it.

"We don't talk about it," HG Mm Qtt E3GuLriGCH 1) MM? ImiUS 1 i If we can't beat the competition we'll give you 7 nights in a it you owe more than your cars worth If you're looking for a hard-to-find vehicle If you need to Lower Your Payment If you've had past credit problems VEHICLES! pilsonauto.com CAN iiLP 2212 LakaLwMl Blvd. MATTOON, IL 217-234-6461 Jeep ConMrofRlltttU CHARLESTON, IL 217-345-3673.